Thursday, December 1, 2016

My dear friend Josh saw this dog running loose a few times while on his walks with his own dog, but had been unable to catch him. A neighbor did, and asked someone on Nextdoor.com to foster him because he was in bad shape. Not only did Josh offer to foster him, he's fallen in love, named him Charlie and gave him a permanant home.

Charlie was full of fleas and was very itchy. Josh took him to the vet, where he got a full exam, blood work, medicine, flea/tick medication, a nail trim and a special shampoo for his flea ridden, itchy skin. That cost $500.

Today, Josh got the news that Charlie is heartworm positive. He'll need treatment - which is another $2000.

Please help Josh get Charlie well so he can enjoy his new home. Will you contribute to the cause?

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Natalie Cole*, R&B singer and daughter of music legend Nat "King" Cole, died New Year's Eve at age 65 from heart failure caused by lung disease.

Craig Strickland, rising country singer and frontman for Backroad Anthem, was found dead at 29 years old on Jan. 4 after going missing during a duck hunting trip in extreme weather.

Pat Harrington Jr., the "One Day at a Time" actor who famously played building superintendent Schneider on the 1970s sitcom, died Jan. 6 at 86.

Otis Clay, soul singer and Blues Music Hall of Famer best known for 1967's "That's How It Is (When You're In Love)," died Jan. 8 at 73.
Angus Scrimm, best known for playing the Tall Man villain in "Phantasm" and its horror sequels, died Jan. 9 at 89.

Michael Galeota, former child actor who appeared in Disney's "Clubhouse Detectives," "The Jersey" and "Bushwhacked," died at 31 of natural causes related to several health problems on Jan. 10.

David Bowie died Jan. 10, two days after his 69th birthday, after an 18-month secret battle with cancer. The music legend was well-known for his fashion, movie roles, Ziggy Stardust and hit songs like "Space Oddity," "Fame" and "Let's Dance."

David Margulies, character actor who played "Ghostbusters" mayor and "Ace Ventura" doctor, died Jan. 11 at 78.

Monte Irvin, who nearly broke baseball's color lines before Jackie Robinson, died Jan. 11 at 96. He played seven seasons with the New York Giants, served as MLB's first black executive, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Brian Bedford, best known for voicing the title character in Disney's 1973 animated film "Robin Hood" as a fox, died Jan. 13 at 80. The British stage actor also had a role in 1995's "Nixon" and appeared on TV shows like "Murder, She Wrote," "Cheers" and "Frasier."

Rene Angelil, husband and manager of Celine Dion, died Jan. 14 of cancer at age 73. The "My Heart Will Go On" singer's brother Daniel Dion died two days later.

Dan Haggerty, "Grizzly Adams" actor and '70s star best-known for his beard and rugged looks, died of cancer at 74 on Jan. 15.

Dale "Buffin" Griffin, drummer and co-founder for Mott the Hoople, died at 67 on Jan. 17 after a decade-long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Clarence Reid, better known as funk/R&B singer Blowfly, died Jan. 17 at 76. He wrote and produced tracks for artists like Sam & Dave and KC & the Sunshine Band, and his often R-rated solo songs were sampled by rappers like Snoop Dogg and Jurassic 5.

Mic Gillette, Tower of Power founder and trumpet player, died of a heart attack over the weekend of Jan. 16-17 at 64.

Glenn Frey, The Eagles guitarist and co-founder, died at 67 on Jan. 18. Frey co-wrote hits like "Hotel California" with Don Henley.

Jimmy Bain, former Dio and Rainbow bassist, died at 68 over the weekend of Jan. 22-24.

Abe Vigoda, character actor in "The Godfather" and "Barney Miller," died at 94 on Jan. 26.

Paul Kantner, Jefferson Airplane co-founder and guitarist, died at 74 on Jan. 28.

Signe Anderson, the original Jefferson Airplane singer who was replaced by Grace Slick, died at 74 on Jan. 28, the same day as Kantner.

Frank Finlay, Oscar-nominated actor who played Iago in Laurence Olivier's "Othello," died Jan. 30 at 89.

Sir Terry Wogan, BBC radio and television personality and Eurovision Song Contest commentator, died Jan. 31 at 77.

Jon Bunch, former Sense Field and Further Seems Forever singer, died Feb. 2 at 46.

Bob Elliott, one half of legendary TV-radio comedy duo Bob and Ray with Ray Goulding, died Feb. 2 at 92.

Joe Alaskey, a voice actor originally from Troy, N.Y., died from cancer at age 63 on Feb. 4. He was the principal voice of multiple Looney Tunes characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester the Cat and Tweety Bird, after Mel Blanc's death in 1989 and voiced Yosemite Sam in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

Maurice White, a founding member of disco-funk group Earth, Wind & Fire, died Feb. 3 at 74.

Dave Mirra, a Central New York native who rose to fame as a BMX biker at the X-Games, had his own video games and hosted an MTV reality show, died Feb. 4 of an apparent suicide at 41.

Dan Hicks, who led '60s band Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, died Feb. 6 at 74.

Porn star Amber Rayne, whose real name was Meghan Wren, died April 2 at age 31 after appearing in more than 200 adult films.

Erik Bauersfeld, the voice of Admiral Ackbar ("It's a trap!") in "Star Wars" films, died April 3 at age 93.

Leon Haywood, '70s soul singer best known for "I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You" (sampled by Dr. Dre for "Nothin' But a G Thang"), died April 5 at 74.

Merle Haggard, country music legend who had more than 30 No. 1 hits, died April 6 on his 79th birthday.

Blackjack Mulligan, a former New York Jets player, '70s WWE star and father of pro wrestlers Barry Windham, Kendall Windham and former SU wrestler Mike Rotunda (a.k.a. Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S.) and grandfather of Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas, died April 7 at 73.

Tony Conrad, an artist, musician, experimental filmmaker, University at Buffalo professor, and member of the pre-Velvet Underground band The Primitives with John Cale and Lou Reed, died April 9 at 76.

David Gest, a producer, Michael Jackson collaborator, reality TV star and ex-husband of Liza Minelli, died April 12 at 62.

Doris Roberts, Emmy-winning actress on "Everybody Loves Raymond," died April 18 at 90.

Les Waas, songwriter for nearly 1,000 jingles include the Mister Softee ice cream truck song, died April 19 at 94.

Pearl Washington, Syracuse basketball legend who popularized the crossover and "shake and bake" moves, died April 20 at 52.

Victoria Wood, British comedian, singer and writer, died April 20 at 62.

Lonnie Mack, blues guitar great who inspired everyone from Eric Clapton and Keith Richards to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joe Bonamassa, died April 21 at 74.

Michelle McNamara, True Crime Diary writer and wife of comedian Patton Oswalt, died in her sleep April 21 at age 46.

Papa Wemba, world music star and "the king of Congolese rumba," died April 23 at 66 after collapsing on stage at an Ivory Coast concert.

Billy Paul, Grammy-winning jazz and soul singer best known for the 1972 hit "Me and Mrs. Jones," died April 24 at 80.

Madeleine LeBeau, best known for singing "La Marseillaise" as Yvonne in the 1942 film "Casablanca," died May 1 at 92.

Afeni Shakur, film/music producer and mother of rapper Tupac Shakur, died May 2 at 69.

William Schallert, Patty Duke's TV dad and actors' union leader died May 8 at 93.

Nick Lashaway, actor in "Girls," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "The Last Song" and "The X-Files," died in a car crash May 8 at 28.

Tonita Castro, actress in "Funny People," "Go On" and "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World," died May 8 at 63.

Gene Gutowski, Roman Polanski collaborator and producer for the Oscar-winning movie "The Pianist," died May 10 at 90.

Julius La Rosa, pop singer famously fired on the Arthur Godfrey show in 1953, died May 12 at 86.

Bill Backer, the real-life Don Draper who came up with Coca-Cola's iconic "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" ad, died May 13 at 89.

Darwyn Cooke, comic book artist best known for reimagining the Justice League in 2004's "DC: The New Frontier," died May 14 at 53 after a battle with lung cancer.

Jane Little, Atlanta Symphony bassist who held the Guinness World Record for the longest professional tenure with a single orchestra, died May 15 at 87 after after collapsing on stage during a performance.

Emilio Navaira, Tejano music legend, died May 16 at 53.

Guy Clark, Grammy-winning country singer-songwriter, died May 17 at 74.

Morley Safer, CBS News correspondent, died at 84 on May 19, days after retiring from "60 Minutes."

John Berry, original Beastie Boys member, died May 19 at 52 after a long struggle with dementia.

Alan Young, star of TV's "Mister Ed" and the voice of Scrooge McDuck on "Duck Tales," died May 19 at 96.

Nick Menza, former Megadeth drummer, died May 21 after collapsing on stage at age 51.

Jeanne Parr, former CBS correspondent and mother of "Sex and the City" star Chris Noth, died May 23 at 92.

Joe Fleishaker, cult movie star in Troma films like "The Toxic Avenger," died May 23 at 62.

David Mancuso, DJ and New York nightlife pioneer who popularized breaking new music in clubs via a "record pool," died Nov. 14 at 72.

Gwen Ifill, "PBS NewsHour" anchor and vice presidential debate moderator, died Nov. 14 at 61 after a battle with cancer.

George Ortiz, "Project Runway" hairstylist who appeared on the modeling TV competition for five years, died Nov. 15 at 45 of an apparent suicide.

Lisa Lynn Masters, actress who appeared on "Gossip Girl," "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "Law & Order: SVU," died Nov. 15 at 52 of an apparent suicide.
Sharon Jones, Grammy-nominated soul singer with The Dap-Kings, died Nov. 18 at 60 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Florence Henderson, beloved "Brady Bunch" mom, died Nov. 24 at 82.

Ron Glass, a prolific TV actor known for playing Ron Harris in the sitcom “Barney Miller” and Shepherd Derrial Book in “Firefly,” died Nov. 26. He was 71.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

When Andy died, I stayed for a while telling him how I would miss him, and how nothing would ever be forgotten. I packed up his shirt and a prayer card left in his room saying someone had come by to pray for him in a plastic bag and left the room. Completely numb, I thanked everyone who helped take him to the next level and headed for the elevator.

Not Cedars, but it looked exactly like this.

I walked down to the parking garage and asked for a taxi. I could have stayed - maybe eaten something at our favorite deli, Canter's, but my brain couldn't process anything except "go home". While waiting for the taxi, I called Southwest to try to change my ticket. When the agent came on the phone, I said "I have a reservation for tonight, but I just watched my boyfriend die and I just want to go home. How much to change my ticket?"

"Nothing," she said, "and I'm so very sorry." I thanked her and she offered condolences.

The taxi waiting area

I hung up and waited for the taxi. Soon a fairly decrepit taxi pulled up and loaded my luggage into the trunk. I got in. The driver turned around and said
"Are you okay, miss?"
"I guess. I just watched my best friend in the world die. I need to go to the airport to get home."
"It will be my pleasure, and that's the most horrible thing I've ever heard."

We drove in silence for a while, when he turned and said "Do you smoke?" I said that I used to, but that I had an electronic cigarette now. He said "But do you want a real one?"

"Absolutely" I said. He handed me the pack and said "have as many as you want". Eventually, he hesitantly asked the particulars and I told him. "Shit! That's horrible! No one should have to do that! Shit!"

When we reached the airport, he said "do not lift a hand" and carried my luggage to the sky cap. I paid him and gave him a generous tip, which he handed back. "God bless you", he said and I burst into tears.

I was about two hours away from my flight, so I stopped at the McDonald's in the airport for the first food I'd eaten since I got to L.A. I had no idea there was a Canter's at the airport at the time. It probably would have required me to get re-screened anyway. I found a table and ate in complete silence and shock.

I wandered to the gate, and found a seat. Pulling out my phone, I called my best friend Sue and began the long story. Sue has been there nearly from the beginning of Andy and I. She had seen the ups, the downs, the together and the separations. It was always known between us that Andy and I would eventually end up in the old folks home together shouting at the cars that went by. It was just going to happen that way. Neither one of us wanted to say it, but I finally did.

"My entire life has been planned around being together in the home, bitching at each other. What am I supposed to do now without Andy in my life?". "I don't know," she said, "I never expected it not to happen." I told her everything that happened and when I was done, I was spent. She and her husband had offered to come sit in the waiting room when this happened, just so I would know she was close and there if needed. I vetoed that - nothing more horrible than sitting in a place while I'm in another, but I was so grateful she asked. Now, after letting my heart bleed with her, I needed to get into line to board.

"Call me when you get home."
"I will."

I had been trying to reach Ed, one of Andy's best friends since childhood, and the only one I knew how to reach, but had been unable. I had left several messages, each more urgent than the last. While standing in line, Ed finally called. He'd been in Europe. He'd also received a call from our mutual friend Avi, who was both mine and Andy's doctor...but unbeknowst to me Andy had not seen him in years. Avi, a very, very important doctor at Cedar's had the full scoop and had told Ed, who told me he had been expecting it for quite a while, as Andy started to refuse to see him when he was in town. The last time he'd seen him, he said he looked homeless. Because I'd been in another town, Andy had been sending photos to me that I thought were current. They weren't. I'd figured that out in the hospital, when he had a full head of grey hair, which was not grey when I'd last seen him. I told Ed I was boarding the plane and would call him when I arrived, and then I took my seat.

Ed and I, at his sister's wedding shortly after we'd met

Once in the air, the flight staff came around and asked if we wanted something to drink. I said "Oh, just give me a vodka seven, or whatever. I just watched my boyfriend die and I don't want to feel anything."

The attendant, a wonderful man, knelt beside me and said "Honey, this one's on me", and abandoned his other passengers to get me my drink (which, bless him, was very strong.)

I think he put two bottles in it.

He then served the other passengers and came back with another drink. He kneeled beside me and asked if I wanted to talk about it. I told him a little, and he told me how wonderful it was that I stayed with him the whole time and that he was so very sorry. When we arrived, he escorted me from the plane and said "is someone here to get you?" and I said yes. He hugged me and wished me the best. I wish I'd gotten his name and picture.

I went down to baggage and eventually found my suitcase and my way out to my ride. I called Ed, and my neighbor listened to everything that happened. Now at home, I pulled my suitcase out, walked in my door, said hi to the dogs and fell into bed. When I woke, I got dressed and went to my mothers house to find I needed to take her to the hospital as she had not eaten or drank anything since I left, and my brother wasn't much better.

When Andy died, I stayed for a while telling him how I would miss him, and how nothing would ever be forgotten. I packed up his shirt and a prayer card left in his room saying someone had come by to pray for him in a plastic bag and left the room. Completely numb, I thanked everyone who helped take him to the next level and headed for the elevator.

Not Cedars, but it looked exactly like this.

I walked down to the parking garage and asked for a taxi. I could have stayed - maybe eaten something at our favorite deli, Canter's, but my brain couldn't process anything except "go home". While waiting for the taxi, I called Southwest to try to change my ticket. When the agent came on the phone, I said "I have a reservation for tonight, but I just watched my boyfriend die and I just want to go home. How much to change my ticket?"

"Nothing," she said, "and I'm so very sorry." I thanked her and she offered condolences.

The taxi waiting area

I hung up and waited for the taxi. Soon a fairly decrepit taxi pulled up and loaded my luggage into the trunk. I got in. The driver turned around and said
"Are you okay, miss?"
"I guess. I just watched my best friend in the world die. I need to go to the airport to get home."
"It will be my pleasure, and that's the most horrible thing I've ever heard."

We drove in silence for a while, when he turned and said "Do you smoke?" I said that I used to, but that I had an electronic cigarette now. He said "But do you want a real one?"

"Absolutely" I said. He handed me the pack and said "have as many as you want". Eventually, he hesitantly asked the particulars and I told him. "Shit! That's horrible! No one should have to do that! Shit!"

When we reached the airport, he said "do not lift a hand" and carried my luggage to the sky cap. I paid him and gave him a generous tip, which he handed back. "God bless you", he said and I burst into tears.

I was about two hours away from my flight, so I stopped at the McDonald's in the airport for the first food I'd eaten since I got to L.A. I had no idea there was a Canter's at the airport at the time. It probably would have required me to get re-screened anyway. I found a table and ate in complete silence and shock.

I wandered to the gate, and found a seat. Pulling out my phone, I called my best friend Sue and began the long story. Sue has been there nearly from the beginning of Andy and I. She had seen the ups, the downs, the together and the separations. It was always known between us that Andy and I would eventually end up in the old folks home together shouting at the cars that went by. It was just going to happen that way. Neither one of us wanted to say it, but I finally did.

"My entire life has been planned around being together in the home, bitching at each other. What am I supposed to do now without Andy in my life?". "I don't know," she said, "I never expected it not to happen." I told her everything that happened and when I was done, I was spent. She and her husband had offered to come sit in the waiting room when this happened, just so I would know she was close and there if needed. I vetoed that - nothing more horrible than sitting in a place while I'm in another, but I was so grateful she asked. Now, after letting my heart bleed with her, I needed to get into line to board.

"Call me when you get home."
"I will."

I had been trying to reach Ed, one of Andy's best friends since childhood, and the only one I knew how to reach, but had been unable. I had left several messages, each more urgent than the last. While standing in line, Ed finally called. He'd been in Europe. He'd also received a call from our mutual friend Avi, who was both mine and Andy's doctor...but unbeknowst to me Andy had not seen him in years. Avi, a very, very important doctor at Cedar's had the full scoop and had told Ed, who told me he had been expecting it for quite a while, as Andy started to refuse to see him when he was in town. The last time he'd seen him, he said he looked homeless. Because I'd been in another town, Andy had been sending photos to me that I thought were current. They weren't. I'd figured that out in the hospital, when he had a full head of grey hair, which was not grey when I'd last seen him. I told Ed I was boarding the plane and would call him when I arrived, and then I took my seat.

Ed and I, at his sister's wedding shortly after we'd met

Once in the air, the flight staff came around and asked if we wanted something to drink. I said "Oh, just give me a vodka seven, or whatever. I just watched my boyfriend die and I don't want to feel anything."

The attendant, a wonderful man, knelt beside me and said "Honey, this one's on me", and abandoned his other passengers to get me my drink (which, bless him, was very strong.)

I think he put two bottles in it.

He then served the other passengers and came back with another drink. He kneeled beside me and asked if I wanted to talk about it. I told him a little, and he told me how wonderful it was that I stayed with him the whole time and that he was so very sorry. When we arrived, he escorted me from the plane and said "is someone here to get you?" and I said yes. He hugged me and wished me the best. I wish I'd gotten his name and picture.

I went down to baggage and eventually found my suitcase and my way out to my ride. I called Ed, and my neighbor listened to everything that happened. Now at home, I pulled my suitcase out, walked in my door, said hi to the dogs and fell into bed. When I woke, I got dressed and went to my mothers house to find I needed to take her to the hospital as she had not eaten or drank anything since I left, and my brother wasn't much better.

Meet Trixie, Minnie and Jeep!

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Wanna Know More About Me?

I am a freelance writer, former TV and radio news writer and self-professed trivia junkie. I delight in boring my friends with 60’s pop culture, and I always win in the Baby Boomer and TV editions of Trivial Pursuit. I’m pretty good at Pictionary too.

I am officially published now, albeit in a trade magazine, but three articles in a trade mag is more than I had a year ago, AND I got paid for each one!!

I have been a professional executive and personal assistant for the past 30 years, I can also cook, bake and drive really, really fast.

I now live in Corrales, New Mexico with my dogs, Jeep, Lulu and Sweetie, where I am starting my life all over.